Neville questions Arteta's sub strategy after Arsenal's 3-2 loss to Man United
Gary Neville has criticized Mikel Arteta's decision to keep Gabriel Martinelli on the bench during Arsenal's 3-2 home defeat to Manchester United, which cut Arsenal's lead at the top of the table to four points. The loss is Arsenal's first at home this season and ends their dominant run. Neville believes starting Martinelli instead of making the late substitutions could have provided the 'spontaneity and instinctive play' Arsenal needed, especially as Arteta used all his substitutes in a frantic second-half push. Manchester United, under interim manager Michael Carrick, moved up to fourth place with the win. United's goals came from Bryan Mbeumo, Patrick Dorgu, and a late winner from substitute Matheus Cunha, after Arsenal's Mikel Merino thought he'd secured a point with a late equalizer. Arsenal now face Leeds United next week in a crucial match to regain momentum in their title chase. Neville argued that Arsenal underestimated United's attacking threats, including Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo, which proved costly. He described Arteta's substitutions as a partial response that 'didn't really commit' fully, failing to match the intensity United showed.